Low-pressure steam generator for students



April 1931- w. H. STANNARD 1,802,542

LOW PRESSURE STEAM GENERATOR FOR STUDENTS Filed April 28, 1928 fitted with a cork stopper Patented Apr. 28, 1931 WINFIELD I-I. STANNABD, OF MATTESON, ILLINOIS,

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

T. ATENT osFrcE Y ASSIGNOR 'IO CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS LOW-PRESSURE STEAM GENERATOR FOR STUDENTS Application filed April 28,

10 tive student permits such a boiler to boil dry,

the solder melts, opening the seams, and the copper in the region of the bottom is rapidly oxidized.

A visible water gage is a necessity with this old type of boiler and, due to the fact that it must be removed a relatively great distance from the burner in order to prevent boiling in the water glass, the gage has been formed by two relatively long brass tubes projecting from the side of the cylindrical boiler and connected to a U-shaped glass tube by short lengths of rubber tubing. The result of this construction is that the boiler is very awkward to handle and store and frequently the brass tubes are wrenched out of position.

The original cost of production of copper boilers is very high and the loss of time and expense in making repairs is objectionably great.

30 The principal object of this invention is to overcome these objectlons to the prior apparatus and produce a structure affording increased pedagogic value.

Preferred structures embodying the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a complete set of apparatus set up for thermometry experiments and Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views illustrating alternative ways of connecting the lower glass portion of the boiler to the upper metallic portion.

The apparatus in Fig. 1 is carried by a support including a base 10, a column 11 and a ring clamp 12. A burner 13 resting on the base 10 serves to heat the boiler, generally indicated at 14, equipped with a mercury steam gage 15 and a thermometer tube 16,

17 in which is in- 1928. Serial No. 273,687.

serted a thermometer 18, the hose nipple 19, not being needed for this experiment is closed by a short piece of tubing 20 and-a clamp 21.

The lower and body portion 14 is formed by a cylindrical glass jar or beaker 22 (Fig. 2) having its upper end The upper portion of the boil- 7 flared at 23. er is formed by a tapering cap 24 having a threaded neck 25 at the top and a flange 26 at the bottom telescoping with the flared portion 23 of the glass. The joint is made tight by a molded rubber gasket 27. A hose nipple 28 has a reduced portion 29 extending through the cap and receiving a nut 30, gaskets 31 on each side of the cap metal serving to make the joint tight.

In the alternative structure shown in Fig. 3 the flange 32 of the cap, with the glass portion, is corrugated to form threads 33 which screw onto a threaded ring 34 formed by a sheet metal ring substantially U-shaped in cross section.

In Fig. 4 the glass body portion 35 has a slightly reduced threaded neck 36 which receives a threaded flange 37 on the metallic cap and the lower end of the flange is flared at 39 to bear on the gasket 40 resting against the shoulder 41.

In Fig. 5 the structure is similar to Fig. 3, except that the ring 34 is replaced by a ring 42 forming part of the ring clamp 43.

The glass is of the type generally referred to as heat resisting and is to be found on the market under the name, Pyrex.

The cap is made of sheet aluminum, as is also the ring 34 in Fig. 3.

The lower portion of the boiler being transparent it serves the function of both boiler and water gage and, in addition, has a decided pedagogic value in enabling the student and the instructor to constantly observe the conditions inside the boiler. In some experiments, for instance in the thermometry experiment illustrated in Fig. 1, it is necessary that the bulb be maintained above the water. The transparency of the body portion of the boiler in the improved apparatus permits this adjustment to be easily made by the student and checked at a glance by the instructor.

of the boiler which telescopes Should the student permit the boiler to become dry no damage results.

Furthermore, the improved boiler can be produced for approximately one-half the cost 5 of the structure formerly in common use.

claim as my invention:

1. In a loW pressure steam generator for use in pedagogical laboratories, the combination of a heat resisting glass boiler open at its top, an elongated single Walled tubular cap secured to'the'boiler and closing: the open ing, means for making the connection between the glass boiler and the tubular cap steamtight, a steam outlet nipple adjacent the top of the cap, and a pressure gauge nipple on the cap base communicating with the top of the glass boiler.

.2. In a low pressure 1 steam generator ,for use in pedagogical laboratories, the combinationof acylindrical heat resisting glass boiler having a screw threaded opening at its top, a single Walled tubular cap for the boiler proovided With a threaded base'adapted to telescopically engage the correspondingthreads of the boiler, meansfor closing the top of the cap, and steam outlet means adjacent the top of the tube.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

7 WINFIELD .I-I. STANNARD. '30 r 

